South Africa will lean harder on its partners in the BRICS group of emerging market powers should it lose preferential access to US markets, the head of the country\u2019s largest labour federation said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa has maintained what it terms a non-aligned position toward Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, a stand that has irked Washington. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tensions spiked earlier this year when the US ambassador to Pretoria accused South Africa of loading arms onto a Russian ship and said its actions could imperil its preferential access to American markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government denied the allegation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But some US lawmakers have pushed the Biden administration to review South Africa\u2019s access to AGOA amid frustration over the country\u2019s non-aligned position toward Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine and because they deem it too developed to qualify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa will likely keep its preferential access to US markets because hundreds of American firms are also benefitting, according to the nation\u2019s ambassador to BRICS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n